Lessons in Leadership

In pulling together this issue, I realised that there are many facets to being a leader, many ways to lead and that it is actually really very hard to be a good leader. There are team dynamics to deal with, power politics in play and that is even before you take into account your personal brand, leadership style and the mood you might be in that day!

So in this Leadership Issue, we attempt to cover some of those trickier leadership topics and get some lessons in leadership from some of the people who know about it the best:

Leadership and career coach Jo Maughan shares her story about how confidence played an essential role in her leadership journey (to Head of Tax) and how she has become more confident by being herself.

We ask a group of emerging (and emerged) leaders what being a great leader means to them in ‘What Makes A Leader’. Compiling their insights was revealing and inspiring.

Pete Flynn, Director at PricewaterhouseCoopers and former Equerry to TRH The Prince of Wales tells us about his experience with some of the most intimidating leaders in the world and why men don’t have a monopoly on great leadership (his boss was HM The Queen after all).

This week we also check out some innovative new brands, Japanese tapas and new baby product cleaning company Nimble Babies. Mr Smith also gives us his take on leadership (he is responsible for 80 people after all!) although don’t mention the rugby… or twitter.

You may have heard of the First Follower: Leadership Lessons from Dancing Guy YouTube clip. In it a ‘lone nut’ dances in a field. He is later joined by his first ‘follower’, and then a second follower, before he creates a movement. The leadership lesson here being that there is no movement without the first follower – so when you find a lone nut doing something great, be the first person to stand up and join in.

It isn’t all just about the leader – it’s about the followers too. So for those of you who have been following this ‘lone nut’ on her Suit & Pie journey – I thank you from the bottom of my crazy dancing guy heart.

Meet the editor

Welcome

Welcome to our Millennial Issue where we hear from some inspiring Gen Yers who are out to make the world a better place (cheesy but true)! We have some awesome content lined up so do take a peek here and check out our back story on Why Pie?